Method for determining the angular position of a rotor

According to the invention, in a method for determining the angular position of a rotor, a reference voltage is set in a calibration phase, such that when the rotor, rotating at a calibration speed, passes through a particular detection position, said voltage is the same as the electromotive force induced in the one winding coil. In a subsequent measuring phase the reference voltage is updated to a value (UR) which is equal to the product of the voltage value set in the calibration phase and the ratio of the instantaneous motor rotational speed to the calibration rotational speed. The angular position of the rotor (ω1) at which the electromotive force corresponds to the updated reference voltage is thus identified as the detection position.

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Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for determining the angular position of a rotor of an electronically commutated electric motor.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Such a method is, for example known from EP 647,014 B1. The known method serves for ascertaining the angular position of the rotor of a brushless motor. Brushless motors are electronically commutated motors. The winding coils of these motors are energized in a cyclic sequence respectively during a predeterminable current flow angle synchronously to the angular position of the rotor. The angular position is thereby ascertained by determining the electromotive forces which are induced in the winding coils and which depend on the angular position of the rotor and by detecting the zero crossings of the electromotive forces. The determination of the electromotive forces is thereby accomplished by measuring the coil voltages present at the winding coils. Thereby, it is a detriment that the electromotive forces can be ascertained only at certain time intervals during which the respective winding coils do not carry a current. Thus, the zero crossings of an electromotive force can be determined only when these forces are present in time ranges in which the respective winding coil is not energized. Thereby, the control range of the current flow angle is substantially limited.

It is further known from EP 647,014 B1 that the angular position of the rotor can also be ascertained with special position sensors, particularly with Hall effect sensors. The position sensors and the effort and expense for the mechanical mounting of these sensors, however, represent a substantial cost disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an angular rotor position measuring method which will yield precise results even for large current flow angles in an electronically communicated electric motor.

According to the invention the angular position of the rotor in an electronically commutated motor is ascertained at high r.p.m.s in a two-stage method. Thereby, in a first stage which is a calibration phase, a reference voltage is produced at a determined motor r.p.m. which is the calibration r.p.m. The reference voltage is adjusted so that at a point of time at which the rotor passes through a determined detection position, the reference voltage corresponds to an electromotive force which is induced in one of the winding coils of the motor. The detection position thereby is a special angular position of the rotor at which, for the entire control range of the current flow angle, the electromotive force induced in the one winding coil is present at this winding coil as a coil voltage. Thus, this coil voltage is ascertainable by a voltage measurement. In a second stage which is the actual measuring phase, first the instantaneous motor r.p.m. is ascertained. The ascertaining of the motor r.p.m. thereby takes place by an ascertaining of the frequency of one coil voltage of the coil voltages present at the winding coils of the motor. Thereafter, the reference voltage is updated to a value which is equal to the product of its voltage value adjusted in the calibration phase and the ratio of the instantaneous motor r.p.m. to the calibration r.p.m. Next, the angular position of the rotor is ascertained at which the electromotive force induced in the one winding coil is equal to the updated reference voltage. This angular position is identified as the detection position.

In an advantageous embodiment of the method the calibration r.p.m. and thus the current flow angle is selected sufficiently small for detecting zero crossings of the electromotive force induced in this winding coil by evaluating the coil voltage present at the respective winding coil. These zero crossings are then detected during the calibration phase and based on the position of the zero crossings, those points of time are ascertained at which the rotor runs through the detection position.

The calibration phase is preferably cyclically repeated. Thereby, the reference voltage is adapted to the temperature dependent changes of the electromotive forces.

The method according to the invention has a cost advantage compared to a method in which the angular position of the rotor is ascertained with special position sensors because, according to the invention, these sensors are not necessary and thus any work effort for mounting and for precisely positioning such sensors is obviated. Additionally, the present method provides precise results because no mechanical tolerances which are unavoidable in connection with using position sensors, enter into the evaluation.

The method according to the invention is very well suited for controlling of four coil brushless motors which are, for example used in motor vehicles for driving cooling fans.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained more closely in the following with reference to an example embodiment and with reference to the figures. These Figs. show:

FIG. 1 a block circuit diagram with an electronically commutated motor and a control device for this motor;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of signals for explaining the commutating procedure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of signals during a calibration phase; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of signals during a measuring phase.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT AND OF THE BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows, as an example embodiment, a block circuit diagram of an electronically commutated motor 10 and a block circuit diagram of a control device for regulating (controlling in closed loop fashion) the r.p.m. of the motor 10.

The motor 10 comprises a permanent magnetic rotor 15 and a stator with four winding coils A, B, C and D. Two each of these winding coils are combined to a coil pair A, B or C, D, whereby the coil pairs A, B or C, D are wound on a respective tooth. The winding coils A, B or C, D of the respective coil pair are wound in bifilar parallel fashion and produce, when energized, magnetic fields of opposing polarity. The motor 10 is energized out of a DC voltage source, for example out of a vehicle battery. The winding coils A, B, C, D are connected for this purpose with one terminal to a common circuit node. A battery voltage UB provided by a DC voltage source is connected to this circuit node. The opposite terminal ends of the winding coils are connected through a control transistor, for example a field effect transistor TA or TB or TC or TD with a ground terminal M.

The winding coils A, B, C, D are energized in a cyclic sequence respectively during a predeterminable electrical current flow angle α through the control transistors TA, TB, TC and TD. A control device 20, 21, 22 generates control impulses for the sequentially correct controlling of the control transistors TA, TB, TC and TD. The control signals are supplied to the control inputs of the control transistors TA, TB, TC and TD as control signals UGA, UGB, UGC, UGD.

The control device comprises a processing stage 21 which ascertains the instantaneous running motor r.p.m. nist based on the coil voltages USA and USC of the winding coil A and the winding coil C. The control device generates a trigger signal UT which marks the point of time at which the rotor 15 passes through a determined angular position φ. The control device further comprises a driver unit 20 for producing the control signals UGA, UGB, UGC and UGD. The control device further includes a closed loop control stage 22 for triggering the driver unit 20. The closed loop control stage 22 comprises in its turn a comparator 23 which compares, while the motor is running, an instantaneous running motor r.p.m. nist with a predetermined rated r.p.m. nsoll. The closed loon control stage 22 further includes an evaluating unit 24 which produces, based on the r.p.m. comparing result and on the trigger signal UT, correctly timed signals U25A, U25B, U25C and U25D for the driver unit 20. The closed loop control stage 22 may further comprise means for ascertaining the current flowing through the winding coils A, B, C and D and means for passing on the current information to the evaluating unit 24. The current may, for example, be ascertained with a shunt resistor provided in the grounding circuit branch of the control transistors TA, TB, TC and TB.

The commutating of the motor 10 can be explained with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the signals as a function of the angular position φ=ωt of the rotor 15. The upper diagram shows the electromotive forces UEMK,A, UEMK,B, UEMK,C, UEMK,D induced in the winding coils A, B, C and D. Therebelow are shown the control signals UGA, UGB, UGC and UGD which are supplied to the control transistors TA, TB, TC and TD. The pulse widths of these control signals UGA, UGB, UGC and UGD correspond to the current flow angle α of the respective control transistor TA, TB, TC and TD. The pulse widths determine the motor r.p.m. n of the motor 10. The motor r.p.m. n may be increased from a low r.p.m. n0 to a high r.p.m. n1 by increasing the current flow angle α in the manner shown by dashed lines. Below the control signals UGA, UGB, UGC and UGD there are shown working sections A0, A1 of the coil pair A, B at a low r.p.m. n=n0 or at a high r.p.m. n=n1. The working sections A0, A1 include different angular sectors K0, K1, K2. Within the angular sections K0 the winding coil A as well as the winding coil B wound onto the same tooth are switched off. In the angular sections K1 either the transistor TA or the transistor TB is switched into the conducting state for energizing the winding coil A or the winding coil B. The angular sections K2 represent areas in which, following switching off the transistors TA or TB, the winding coil A or the winding coil B is decommutated.

The electromotive forces UEMK,A or UEMK,B or UEMK,C or UEMK,D induced in the winding coils A, B, C and D, exhibit respectively a characteristic curve that is determined by the angular position φ. These electromotive forces are present at the respective winding coil as coil voltages and can be measured in these angular sections by a simple voltage measurement. The angular sections relate to the respective winding coil and the winding coil wound onto the same tooth which are not switched on during these angular sections. For example, the electromotive force UEMK,A induced in the winding coil A is present as a coil voltage USA at the winding coil A when no current is flowing through the winding coil A nor through the winding coil B, thus, in the angular sections K0. This angular section K0 is large for a small current flow angle α and thus at a small r.p.m. n0. This angular section K0 embraces a range of the electromotive force UEMK,A in which this electromotive force exhibits a zero crossing φ0*. This zero crossing neither depends on the r.p.m. nor on the temperature. Compared thereto the angular section K0 at the high r.p.m. n1 is very small and then embraces a range of the electromotive force UEMK,A in which this force does not exhibit a zero crossing. In this range the electromotive force UEMK,A depends on the r.p.m. and on the temperature.

In order to also make possible a precise ascertaining of the angular position α of the rotor 15 at high motor r.p.m.s at which the zero crossings of the electromotive forces are not visible as coil voltages, a calibration of the control device is first performed.

The calibration procedure is best described with reference to FIG. 3. In this Fig. the signals are also shown as a function of the angular position φ=ωt of the rotor 15. The upper diagram shows the electromotive forces UEMK,A, UEMK,B, UEMK,C and UEMK,D induced in the winding coils A, B, C and D. The control signals UGA, UGB, UGC and UGD supplied to the control transistors TA, TB, TC and TD are shown therebelow. The measured voltages UA and UC are shown below the control signals. The measured voltages are present at the connecting point of the winding coil A with the control transistor TA or respectively at the connecting point of the winding coil C with the control transistor TC.

The angular position ω0 corresponds to the zero crossing of the electromotive force UEMK,C and the angular position φ0* corresponds to the zero crossing of the electromotive force UEMK,A. The angular position φ1 is referred to in the following as the detection position. The detection position is selected in such a way that even at a maximum current flow angle α the detection position lies in an angular range in which the electromotive force UEMK,A is present as a coil voltage USA of the winding coil A. The detection position φ1, is spaced by a fixed, predetermined angular value Δφ or Δφ* relative to the zero crossing φ0 or φ0* of the electromotive force UEMK,C or UEMK,A.

In the calibration phase the instantaneous, running motor r.p.m. nist is adjusted by controlling the current flow angle α, to a calibration r.p.m. nK which is selected to be so small that the electromotive force UEMK,C induced in the winding coil C is in the angular range in which it is present as coil voltage USC at the winding coil C and exhibits a zero crossing φ0. The maintaining of the calibration r.p.m. nK can thereby be checked by a frequency analysis of the measured voltage UA or UC.

Thereafter, the zero crossing φ0 is ascertained at a constant calibration r.p.m. nK. For this purpose the angular range is first ascertained in which the electromotive force UEMK,C is present at the winding coil C as the coil voltage USC. In this angular range the measured voltage UC is compared with the battery voltage UB and the angular position φ is identified as the zero crossing φ0 when the measured voltage UC is equal to the battery voltage UB. Alternatively, the zero crossing φ0* of the electromotive force UEMK,A can be detected by comparing the measured voltage UA with the battery voltage UB. Then a threshold voltage US which equals the sum of the battery voltage UB and a reference voltage UR is compared with the measured voltage UA. The threshold voltage US is controlled in closed loop fashion by varying the reference voltage UR in such a way that the threshold voltage US and the measured voltage UA intersect each other at the detection position φ1 which is spaced from the zero crossing φ0 by the known angular value Δφ or which is spaced from the zero crossing φ0* by the known angular value Δφ*. By this measure the reference voltage UR is adjusted to a voltage value which is assumed by the electromotive force UEMK,A when the rotor 15 passes through the detection position φ1. This value is stored in an intermediate storage as the calibration value Ukal.

The actual measuring takes place in a following measuring phase which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4. In this Fig. the signals are also shown as a function of the angular position φ=ωt of the rotor 15. The upper diagram shows, as in FIG. 3, the electromotive forces UEMK,A, UEMK,B, UEMK,C and UEMK,D induced in the winding coils A, B, C and D. Thereunder the control signals UGA, UGB, UGC, UGD and the measured voltage UA are shown which are supplied to the control transistors TA, TB, TC and TD. Thereby, the signals for a current flow angle α are shown. The current flow angle is selected so large that the zero crossing φ0* of the electromotive force UEMK,A is no longer visible as a coil voltage USA.

During the measuring phase the instantaneous motor r.p.m. nist is first ascertained. Thereafter, the reference voltage UR is updated to the value URakt, whereby the actualization takes place according to the equation
URakt=Ukal·(nist/nK)

In the equation Ukal is the voltage value of the reference voltage UR adjusted in the calibration phase, nist is the instantaneous motor r.p.m. and nkal is the calibration r.p.m. By the actualization of the reference voltage UR the threshold voltage US is also updated to an r.p.m. dependent value, namely the value
US=UB+Ukal·(nist/nK)

Thereafter the angular position φ is ascertained in the angular range K0 in which the electromotive force UEMK,A is present as a coil voltage USA at the winding coil A. At the angular position φ the measured voltage UA is equal to the updated threshold voltage US. This corresponds to the ascertaining of the angular position φ at which the electromotive force UEMK,A is equal to the updated value URakt of the reference voltage UR. This angular position φ then is identified as the detection position φ1.

In this manner it is possible to ascertain the angular position φ of the rotor 15 with a high accuracy even for large current flow angles α at which the zero crossings of the electromotive forces are no longer visible at the winding coils of the motor.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be appreciated that it is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the appended claims. It should also be understood that the present disclosure includes all possible combinations of any individual features recited in any of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for determining the angular position (φ) of a rotor (15) of an electronically commutated motor (10) having a plurality of winding coils (A, B, C, D) wherein said winding coils (A, B, C, D) are respectively energized in a cyclic sequence during a predeterminable current flow angle (α), to provide a closed loop motor control signal said method comprising the following steps: and identifying said angular detection position (φ1) as a position of said rotor (15) at which said electromotive force (UEMK,A) induced in said one winding coil (A) is equal to said updated reference voltage value (URakt).

a) selecting an angular detection position (φ1) out of angular rotor positions (φ), wherein said angular detection position (φ1) is defined by an electromotive force (UEMK,A) induced in one of said winding coils (A) during an entire dynamic range of said current flow angle (α), said electromotive force (UEMK,A) being present as a coil voltage (USA),
b) performing a calibration phase while said electronically commutated motor (10) is running, by adjusting an instantaneous running motor r.p.m. (nist) to a calibration r.p.m. (nK) and by adjusting a reference voltage (UR) to a calibration voltage (Ukal) that is equal to said electromotive force (UEMK,A) induced in said one winding coil (A) when said running rotor passes through said angular detection position (φ1), and
c) performing a measuring phase by ascertaining said instantaneous, running motor r.p.m. (nist), by updating said reference voltage (UR) to an updated reference voltage value (URakt) equal to the product of said calibration voltage (Ukal) times a ratio between said instantaneous running motor r.p.m. (nist) and said calibration r.p.m. (nk) thus: URakt=Ukal·(nist/nK),

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step:

d) selecting said calibration r.p.m. (nK) sufficiently low that zero crossings (φ0*, φ0) of said induced electromotive force (UEMK,A; UEMK,C) become detectable, detecting said zero crossings (φ0*, φ0) during said calibration phase, and ascertaining, in response to said zero crossings (φ0*, φ0), points of time at which said rotor passes through said angular detection position (φ1).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising ascertaining said instantaneous running motor r.p.m. (nist) by measuring a frequency of said coil voltage present at any one of said winding coils (A, B, C, D).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating said calibration phase while said electronically commutated motor (10) is running.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating said coil voltage (USA) of a respective winding coil during a time interval when one or more winding coils wound onto the same tooth is or are switched off for ascertaining said electromotive force (UEMK,A) as a respective electromotive force of a corresponding winding coil.

Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4843580 June 27, 1989 Ridoux et al.
5023527 June 11, 1991 Erdman et al.
5969491 October 19, 1999 Viti et al.
6046554 April 4, 2000 Becerra
Foreign Patent Documents
0647014 April 1995 EP
09009676 January 1997 JP
11146685 May 1999 JP
2001008489 January 2001 JP
Patent History
Patent number: 7103498
Type: Grant
Filed: Oct 9, 2002
Date of Patent: Sep 5, 2006
Patent Publication Number: 20050001580
Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH (Nuremberg)
Inventor: Thomas Dorner (Nuremberg)
Primary Examiner: Bryan Bui
Assistant Examiner: Jonathan Moffat
Attorney: W. F. Fasse
Application Number: 10/494,534
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Angular Position (702/151); Orientation Or Position (702/150); Responsive To Rotor Shaft Position Or Speed (318/721); Rotor Speed Or Position Responsive (318/823)
International Classification: G01C 19/00 (20060101); H02P 6/00 (20060101);